


What Breaks Us

by TheAngelofFate



Series: noticed there was a lack in Oscar & Ozpin stories so I decided to rectify that [13]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hugs, Hurt!Oscar, Hurt/Comfort, Let my boi hugs Rooster Teeth you cowards, Oscar Pine Needs a Hug, Oscar finally breaks, Tears, aura hugs, emotional breakdown, ozpin cares about Oscar and no one can tell me otherwise, ozpin defense squad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:47:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27823996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngelofFate/pseuds/TheAngelofFate
Summary: No matter how strong the spirit. No matter how other like to pretend that they were fine when they actually aren't. No matter how many times they deny it, everyone has a breaking point.(aka, locked away in a cell with Salem as his capture, in pain and alone. Oscar finally snaps)
Relationships: Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Series: noticed there was a lack in Oscar & Ozpin stories so I decided to rectify that [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552897
Comments: 5
Kudos: 88





	What Breaks Us

**Author's Note:**

> Well here I am again, getting dragged back into the Rwby fandom without any warning, or prep time. And as always with the recent episode and everything that's happening to my boi Oscar, you all KNOW that I had to write something for it, so this came to fruition.
> 
> It's not my best writing, seeing as I'm a little rusty when it comes to writing for Ozpin and Oscar but its here nonetheless.

He felt something brush against his mind, gently coaxing him back to consciousness. But he was far too disoriented to pay it any mind. He just wanted to sleep, to go back into that peaceful state of nothingness. But something persisted, wouldn't leave him alone.

_Oscar_

The voice stirred him a little more awake. But not enough for his mind to register much of anything. Oscar pushed against the voice, wanting to shove it down and to leave him be.

_Please, you must wake up._

_Why?_ He retorted, annoyed at being woken up.

_Because you have been unconscious for the past ten hours and I have grown rather concerned for your wellbeing. We must escape._

Escape…?

All at once he remembered

Remembered exactly what happened to him and where he was. The knowledge jolted through his system, his eyes snapped open and his body moved without meaning to sitting up so suddenly that he couldn't help but let out a shriek of agony as every muscle, every vein in his body burned, screamed at him.

He couldn't breathe, his mind was consumed with nothing but the agony of pain

It felt like he was dying

_Hold on_

But he couldn't, he couldn't do anything but curl into himself, wishing, praying that it would all just stop. At this point, as the pain continued on and on, Oscar even welcomed death if that meant everything would go away.

But it didn't happen, he did not die.

Instead though, to his surprise, the pain ebbed away, slowly, very slowly. It didn't go away completely, but it was just enough that Oscar was finally able to draw in a breath without feeling like his lungs were going to burst.

 _That's it, Oscar. Just breathe._ And Oscar didn't need to be told or ordered, he breathed in, almost greedily.

And after a few minutes of just the sounds of him gasping for breath, Oscar's mind finally cleared enough to make a coherent thought. "O-Oz…?" He stuttered, body trembling.

_I'm here_

Oscar felt that presence in his mind, and whereas before he would have found it annoying, whereas before he had been frustrated that Ozpin was back. Now, he clung to him, like a scared little kid, because in reality, that's exactly what he was. Just a scared fifteen-year-old wanting to just curl up into a ball and wish for it to stop.

"A-Are we…?" His voice caught against his throat. He grimaced, letting out a dry cough

Oz seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering, _She… appears to have locked us in a cell of some kind._

Right, Salem…

A Grimm had ambushed them, knocked them out and now they were with Salem. They were in the presence of the very woman who was causing so much destruction. And the worst part was that they could do nothing. They were trapped, held prisoner by an evil Oscar _knew_ neither he nor Oz could fight against.

Because they were at her mercy, of which she had none.

They were helpless

Alone

And Oscar was terrified.

Hos body began trembling for a different reason now. Because now after months, after everything that has happened to him ever since he left home. It all finally burst through his heart in waves after waves of crushing resentment and fear.

It all happened so fast it left him reeling. Curling into himself, Oscar could no longer hold back as the tears of pain, of fear and exhaustion cascaded down his cheeks, stinging them, as he sobbed.

Finally, he couldn't help but break under the pressure of what he was burdened with.

_Oscar…_

"I hate this…" He murmured, wrapping his arms around himself in a desperate way of comfort, " _I hate this_!" His breathe hitched deep in his throat as he continued to babble. "Getting captured, thinking I could talk to Ironwood, thinking I could be something then just a farmhand, that I actually believed your words when you said that I could be!"

Oscar felt something, gently wrap around him. It felt like a security blanket was softly draped around his shoulders. Encasing him in a sea of warmth and reassurance. But reassurance was the last thing Oscar wanted. He wanted to be angry, to scream and fall apart at the seams because he was so tired of keeping himself together.

So, he struggled to get out of that welcoming warmth that Oz was providing but Ozpin seemed insistent on giving it because it stubbornly remained.

"I'm so useless…"

Ruby had been wrong; he wasn't brave at all.

 _No, you aren't. Please,_ please _don't think that way._

But Oscar refused to listen, he shook his head and went limped, expecting to fall to the ground, only for an invisible force to hold him up. Ozpin wasn't allowing him to fall, to give up. And that made Oscar all the more annoyed and hurt and upset. "Why'd you pick someone like me!? Why me? There were so many others you could have chosen, and yet you chose me! _Why_!?"

The presence around him seemed to tighten, as though Oz was holding him tighter than he had been. _I didn't. We don't get to choose who we reincarnate, we have no say whose soul we connect with._

That did _little_ to make him feel better, knowing that yet _again_ , _none_ of them had a choice in anything they did. None of their past incarnations has any say in the oath that they were chosen for the moment they were born. They were all just puppets being pulled along by the Gods, all because of Salem.

Another sob escaped his lips, because he wasn't strong enough. Not for _this_ , not for whatever was expected of him. Because what could he do against this? If Salem was immortal and Oz' magic was fading away, with the merge already happening, what could he do? He was in over his head and trapped and _useless_ and—

_Oscar…_

Oscar felt something brush against his hair, like an invisible hand resting there.

Oz's voice sounded remorseful

Filled with regret and guilt

_I'm sorry_

Oscar was so consumed by his own emotions that he almost didn't hear the apology _,_ but the warmth seemed to wrap even tighter around him, making the haze of his emotions lesson _._

_I am so sorry for the burden I… **we** all have placed on you. We wish— it wasn't like this. We all wish, that one so young could be free of something like this. Because you don't deserve this. None of us did, but almost especially you, someone that I... have grown to care about. I'm sorry..._

Oscar, body exhausted, far too tired to argue, to fight anymore, let himself go limp against the force that was Oz holding him. "Doesn't make it any easier." And around him, he could practically _feel_ Ozpin nod his head.

_I know, I understand. But Oscar, the fact that we were bounded, the fact that you and I were brought together means something. You understand and are willing. You are driven and are ready to fight and protect for others who can't. You knew you were meant for something more, long before that day, you and I met. A likeminded soul. Connecting with so many men that only wish to do good._

What good could Oscar possibly do injured and trapped by Salem unable to fight back?

_Please… I know you are hurting. Physically, emotionally. And that same guilt and agony is what Ozma and many of us have suffered from for decades. Don't fall victim to it too, it is what Salem wants._

Oscar swallowed dryly, tears still flowing freely down his cheeks. "Everything feels so hopeless. How am I supposed to…?"

 _You won't._ Ozpin stated, his voice gentle but determined all the same. _I understand you wanting to do this all on your own. That you wanted to do this as yourself and not as another incarnations of us. But know that you are never alone. We still be getting out of here together._

"How?" He asked incredulously _,_ because just how were they going to get out of here? "Even if we did work together, I'm hurt, I can barely move and the last couple times you've fought Salem, _you died_. And I don't know about you, but I _don't_."

He felt Oz's emotions and thoughts then, he felt determination, he felt a fear that was cause from the very _thought_ of facing Salem, but also amongst all that, he felt a fierce protectiveness.

For Oscar

 _Oscar, I promise you that I will do_ _everything of what is left of my remaining power to make sure she doesn't hurt you again_.

Oscar scoffed, feeling Oz's genuine care for him. It left him in a state of disbelief, cutting through his own negative emotions, "You actually care."

Oz returned the scoff with one of his own, tinted with fondness. _Of course_ , _did you doubt that?_

"Y-Yeah?" He said truthfully. Tears still flowing, heart still aching. "I always just think I'm another one of your vessels." Oscar heard Oz let out a low hum.

 _You have never_ , _been just another vessel_. _Even when our souls do merge completely you will remain so._ _You will remain_ you _, just with my memories— all our memories, along with yours._

"Really?" He whispered, hopefully

There was hesitation on Oz's front and Oscar felt that twinge of fear yet again deep inside his chest. But Oz was quick to assure him. _As I said_ , _I will do everything to make sure that happens. Even if it costs me my own existence. Because I do care, Oscar._

Oscar wiped away the tears a crossed his cheeks, the genuine declaration shocking him. "I..."

 _But first, we need to think. We either need to stale for time or escape ourselves. But... I need to hear you say it. I_ need _to know that you will fight._

And Oscar, still in pain with the wounds Salem inflicted on him, heart still aching with bitter self loathing and fear, nodded regardless. Because as much as he wanted to just lay down and take the loss. He was just as determined to get back up again.

Slowly, he let out a shuttered breathe, "Okay."

**Author's Note:**

> I've been many people over on Tumblr stating that they want Oz to either hug Oscar in like some mindscape type of deal or just snap and attack Salem and I have to say that I would love it if he could do both. Like what I said in the summary for this fic, everyone has a breaking point and Ozpin is no exception. He can break and who better for him to take out that pain on then Salem, the woman who has caused such pain and trauma towards him and all his incarnation. I know it probably wont happen, but it would still be amazing to regardless.
> 
> Anywoo, I hope you all enjoy this story, feedback is always welcomed and appreciated down in the comments and I will see you all later.


End file.
